1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel variant and a process for producing a light-colored soy sauce by using such microorganism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soy sauce, which is a time-honored all-purpose seasoning in Japan, has lately a tendency toward low salinity and lighter color, and the so-called usukuchi soy sauce which has hitherto been used by preference in the Kansai area of Japan is gradually gaining popularity even in the Kanto area. It is expected that such tendency will keep on in both soy sauce for domestic use and that used for processed foods.
The peculiar color and gloss of soy sauce result from an aminocarbonyl reaction between amino acids or peptides existing abundantly in the soy sauce moromi mash and sugars such as hexose, pentose, etc. The amount of said pentose existing in soy sauce moromi is only about 1/10 of the amount of hexose, but it is considered that pentose has an extremely high browning reactivity, with its contribution to such browning reaction being figured to be about 40-50%.